LAHORE: In every Ramazan, arts councils, cultural institutions and private galleries put on display calligraphy works.

This Ramazan too has a few exhibitions which are being organised by different cultural institutions and art galleries. The Ijaz Art Gallery has organised a group show of calligraphy featuring a number of artists. The gallery has been holding this particular exhibition for the last 12 years. The calligraphy exhibition titled ‘Qaat; will be held on April 20 featuring Abdul Rasheed, Ahmed Ejaz, Amir Kamal, Arif Khan, Asghar Ali, Ashraf Heera, Bin Qalandar, Habibullah, Imran Bukhari Marsha, Jamshed Qaiser, Mian Athar, Mudassar Ali Zeb, Muhammad Ibrahim, Nabeel, Majeed Sheikh, Qasim Bugti, Muneeb Ali, Samra Shahid, Tasneem F Inam, Ufaq Ehsan, Zubair Mughal, Zulfiqar Ali and Zulqarnain.

The moving spirit behind Ijaz Art Gallery Muhammad Ramzan told Dawn that the basic objective of holding the calligraphy exhibition in Ramazan each year was not only to celebrate the holy month but also to introduce the young generation, to different khats and techniques used in calligraphy. He said not only artists but other visitors every year visit the exhibition in big numbers. He said Pakistani calligraphists were world-renowned and had won many international awards. Ramzan said that he was also planning to hold a calligraphy workshop in the future, and the workshop would be conducted by eminent calligraphy artists.

He said that the gallery will put on display an exclusive show of paintings by the late Shahid Jalal, a noted artist who passed away a couple of years ago,. Ramzan said late Jalal prepared this show exclusively for the gallery exhibition. Jalal is known for painting gardens, flowers and monuments.

The Lahore Arts Council will also put on display calligraphy works. The dates of the show are being finalised. Both seasoned and young artists would put on display their works at the exhibition, including the visual artists from Alhamra Academy of Performing Arts.

The Punjab Institute of Language Art and Culture will also arrange a calligraphy exhibition in the last week of Ramazan. PILAC is the only cultural institution in the city that offers galleries free of cost for exhibitions. The group exhibition would feature both professional and amateur artists.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2022